Fluid-pressure switch and signal apparatus



(.NoLModel.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. WESTINGHOUSE, Jr.

PLUID PRESSURE SWITCH AND SIGNAL APPARATUS. N0. 245,108. PatentedA Aug.2,1881.

N. PETERS, Plwwljlhugmplwr. wumngxon. D. c.

.(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2..

Patented Aug. 2, 1881.

l dUNITED f STATES `PATENTv OFFICE.

'GEORGE WES'IINGHOUSE, JR., ,OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

,FLUID-PRESSURE SWITCH AND SIGNAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATIONVforming part of Letters Patent No. 245,108, dated August2,1881.

Application filed January 6, 1881.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, GEORGE WEsrINGHoUsE, Jr., of Pittsburg, county ot'Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered a new anduseful Improvement in Fluid-Press ure Switch and Signal Apparatus; and-I do -hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, `making apart of this specification, in whichlike lettersindicatinglike parts- Figure l, Sheet 1 is Va longitudinal sectionalView of a switch moving and locking mechanism illustrative of myinvention. Fig. 2 is an end view, looking tothvelwet't ot'thcfluid-pressure chamber Bl of Figli, but sectioned in the upper partin the plane ot' the line :r of Fig. 1, the better to show thearrangement of the ports. Fig. 3 is anend view of the apparatus as seenwhen looking into the open end of chamber B2, the piston ofthat chamberbeing removed. Fig. Ltis a face view of a portion of the lomcking-stem;and Fig. 5,-Sheet 2, is a diagram or plan view of the apparatus asorgan- Vized for use in'operating a switch, the operative mechanismbeing turned on its side for convenience of illustration.

My present invention relates to certain improvements in apparatus foractuating railwayswitches, si gnalgates, and other movable parts 4orappliances of a railway superstructure 5 and -it is chiefly valuable asa part of a switch and signal system in which a number or series ofswitches and signals are actuated from a central point commonly known asa station or cabin, but at the same time it may be. advantageously usedto shift one or more independent or isolated switcheswith or withoutsignal or signals, whereby at comparatively small stations or at specialpoints-as meetin gpointsg-a telegraph-operator or ticketseller mayoperate a compara-tively small 'number of switches or signals, or both,without interferl ence with the performance of his other duties; and mypresent invention dii'ers from anything now known to me in the art,among other respects in this, that Imake use of an electromagnetandarmature to shift or move a valve or other device of like function,so as by such motion to call or putintoaction some accumulated orstoredup fluid-pressure under (No model.)

such conditions that the latter shall do therequired work in themovement of the switch; and, as an addition to such amethod ofoperation, I cause such action to put into operation asubsequently-acting force, such that immediately on the completion of aswitch motion which makes the desired track-connection the appropriatesignal shall be shifted to a corresponding position; also, the reversalof the switch motion will be preceded by the reverse movement of thesignal, and, if so desired, may be followed by the setting of' someother signal in like manner; also, in a system of apparatus so operatingI embody a locking and unlocking attachment operated by the samepressure which shifts the switch.

In diagram Fig. 5 I have shown a main track, A, and a siding, A', whichmay be connected therewith by any known construction or arrangement ofmovable switch-rails.

The switch-bridle b is connected with the stem of a piston inclosedwithin a case, B, which is laid in convenient proximity to the switch.

By means of an air-main, D, which may be of considerable capacity, andmay extend along the track so as to connect two or more switch-actuatingmechanisms, or by means of an equivalent reservoir, I provide therequired operative pressure to be kept np by any suitable `compressorfor supplying'iiuidpressure through a pipe, d, to `the mechanism B.

At S, I have represented a signal point or post, on which any suitablesignal may bc arranged, as a siding or switch signal.

Amain-line signal may be added and worked in any known way.

A2 represents the switchmans cabin, or the station-house or point fromwhich the switch is to be worked.

The mechanism B consists of a case or shell made in any suitable Way, soas to form an airchest, B, and two differential-piston chambers, B2 B3,the latter having an axial line at right angles to that ofthe former.The air-chest B' is separated from the piston-chamber B2 by a closepartition 'or diaphragm, B4. In the chamber B2 is a diiierential piston,or,"in other words, two pistons, P P', of different areas onthe samestem P2, which stem, preferably in the form of a iiat bar, projectsoutside the case, and is sc IOO cured to the switch-bridle b. It has twonotches, n n', one in its upper and one in its lower edge, arranged andspaced as presently to be dcscribed. In the chamber B3,which may beconsiderably smaller than the chamber B2, I arrange another differentialpiston, R R', of like construction,on a common stem, R2,which stemprojects into the path of the stem P2, but is slotted so as to form aneye, e, about as long as the stem P2 is wide and about as wide as thestem P2 is thick; and these stems are so made that when both pistons PP' and R R' are at the ends ot' their stroke or motion in one directionthe shoulder c', forming one end of the eye e, shall be seated in thenotch n, and at the other ends of the stroke or motion of both, theshoulder e2, forming the other end of the eye e, shall be seated in theother notch, n'.

The pipe d enters the case B and branches into three ports, (representedby dotted lines in Fig. 1,) one of said ports leading into the airchestB', as at d', another leading into the chamber B2 at a point between thetwo pistons I? P', as at d2, and the third port leading into the chamberB3ata point between the pistons R R', as at d3. These three ports areintended to'be always open, so that the chest B' and so much of thechambers B2 and B3 as may be included between the double pistons thereinsh all at all times be filled or charged with fluidpressure. rlheair-chest B' has also an exhaustport, c, leading to the open air; also,a port, c', opens from the air-chest B' into a passage, G, and from thelatter a comparatively small port, c2, opens into the larger end of thechamber B2, and a comparatively large port, c3, opens into the largerend of the chamber B3.

An ordinary or other suitable form of slidevalve, o, is arranged withcavity c' and port yv2 relatively to the ports c c', so that in one ad-.

justment or position, as shown, communication from c' to c will be cutoff and the exhaust will be closed, and so that duid-pressure may passfreely from air-chest B' into the larger ends of B2 and B2. While thepressure thus introduced is the same in degree as that introducedthrough ports d2 d3 into the spaces between the double pistons, as aboveexplained, it is at the same time greater in effect on account of thegreater area ot' piston-surface on which it is ei'ectivel y operative;hence the norma-l position of the apparatus will be that represented, inwhich both pistons are out, the piston P2 is locked by the piston R2,and the main-track line is unbroken; also, as will presently appear, thesiding signal will be at "dangen" As a means of actuating the valve c, Iprefer to use an electro-magnet, and as the valve must be moved in twodirections, I provide two electro-magnets, H H', and for their betterprotection, as well as to facilitate their operation with the leastpossible resistance from friction, I prefer to arrange them in theair-chest B'. Each has its own armature h h', and these armatures aremounted on a valve-moving lever, on, which is pivoted by a cross-bar,m',

on posts m2 in such manner that as one armature is drawn to its magnetthe other will be clear, and the connection of the end of the lever withthe valve is such that it will at the end of one stroke cut otf theexhaust and open the port c, the same being the normal position, and atthe end ot' the other stroke cut oit' the supply and open the port c' tothe exhaust c.

Passing through the end ot' the air-chest are three double-endedbinding-posts, :v x' a02, the metal stems of which are packed andinsulated by suitable means, as by india-rubber gaskets z, which aretightly compressed by screwing up tightly the heads or ends ot' thebindingpost.

From the cabin or station A2 three wires, w fw' 102, lead to the outerends ot' the three binding-posts, one to each, and the wire w, which Iterm a 1eturn-wire,7 or a wire from a return-circuit, leads to onebinding-post, a', from the inner end of which two wires, 102 and w, leadone to one electro-magnet, H, and the other to the other, H'. Theopposite wires ot the coils lead one, w, to the post with which theline-wire w' is connected, and the other, w, to the other post, 962,with which the other line-wire, 102, is connected.

At the station or cabin a battery, s6, is arranged on the return-circuitwire w, and the continuation of this wire is always in electricalcommunication with a key, s, which key, being shifted one way, makesconnection with wire w', so as to make a circuit through electromagnetH', and thereby depress armature IL' and bring the valve e to the normal"position shown, and when the key is shifted to make contact with thewire 2v2, a circuit is made through electro-magnet H, with' the resultof depressing armature h and shifting the valve to its other position,whereby the ports c and c are brought into communication, and thisis themeans by which air-pressure is applied, whereby the movable rails of theswitch are shifted-andasidingconnection is made. Bringing the port c'into communication with the exhaust c results iu the escape ofduid-pressure from B2 to B2; but as the port c" leading from B3 issomewhat larger than the port c2 leading from B2, the air-pressure in B3will escape so much the quicker, and the constantlyactiu g air-pressurebetween R and R' will give to the latter pistons a back-stroke, such asto take the shoulder c' out of the notch a in the stem P2, and therebyunlock the differential pistons P P'. As soon as this is donefluidpressure, acting between the pistons P P', will give them aback-stroke, with the result ot' moving the switch-rails connectedtherewith. As soon as this motion is complete the notch a' on the underside of the stem P2 comes into the path ofthe stem R2, and the pressure,s'till continuing to act between R and R', causes the shoulder c2 toenter the notch a' in the stem P2, so as to lock the switch-movingdevices. Reversing the key by making a circuit through H' and breakingthe other one depresses ar- IOO IOS

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mature 21,' and; reStOrestheNalve rUpto. the iposition shown.-.Ain-pressure from B. then 'en ters the chambers B2 and B3 by ports c2and c3; but on` account of the greaterxurea of the lati terportsnch.pressure-first becomes effective tion of the stroke R2, the devicesthen having theposition shown.V Like or other desired m eans maybeemployed to actuate a signal either for themain track or siding, orfor both, and apparatus such as described may be combined with eachswitchor` signal ot' a series or succession. `I also-\1.)r`opose,`bygvingthe nkey s the form or arrangement of a-lever, to combine withthe apparatusdescri-bed an interlocking apparatus; but this Awill formthesubject-mat-Y ter of a separate application. v

For actuating the siding-signal I prefer to use a wire, u, (withgroundconnection,) and battery u', which ordinarily will bein positionto make 'or keep aclosed-circuit. This wire u leads to a binding-post,q, at the switch apparatus, and electrically connected therewith Sis a.springcontact-piece,l q', thev end of which (having insulatedbearings)is engaged by one of two stops or lugs, r r', on theprolongation r2 ofthe stem R2, and `these stops are so arranged that asthe stem R2 completes its upstroke-one stop, r, will cause thecontact-piece q' toV make electrical Contact `with 'a wire, a3, whichleads to the signal, so as, by an armature at that point, operatingdirectly or indirectly, to shift the signal to safety g also, as thestem R2 commences a downstroke the lower stop, fr, moving down, allowsthe spring contact-pi'eceg, by its resiliency, to clear the wire ug, andso-break the circuit and let thesidingsignal go to dangerfunder theaction of `a lweight,`spring, or other suitable means; but

if, for' any reason,the signal-circuit should not be thus broken, thestop r', engaging the contact-piece q just at the end ofthe downstrokeof the piston-stem R2, will break the circuit by a positive force andlet the siding-signalV go to dangerf as before; hence when thesidingconnection is made, an d not till then, the sidingsignal showssafety, and beforethe sidingconnection is broken the siding-signal-goesto dangerJ The key lufis simply designed to enable the operator to breakthepreviouslyclosed signal-circuit if, for any reason he should desireto set the siding-signal at danger without breaking the siding trackconnection but if this capacity be not desired, the wire u may begrounded at or near the switchmoving mechanism without being carriedback to the cabin.

It will be understood that the apparatus may be so fitted up that theoutwardmotion of P2 shall make the main or any. other trackconnection'insteadof a siding-connection, as described, and the reversemoti-on will break the track-connection so made and restore the formertrack-connection, whatever that may be.

`Instead of a slide-valve, c, other suitable form of valve or cock maybe employed, as also any known substitute for a valve, orany devicecapable of being actuated by one motor, so as to change the direction ofthe action of a previously stored-up fluid-pressure, and such changes ormodifications are hereby included as within the scope ot' the presentinvention; and, in so far as relates to the general features ofconstruction and operation, `I'also include herein the use of a singlepiston (or equivalent diaphragm) in either or both the chambers'B2 B3for im parting motion by fluid-l pressure on one side, in which case aspring or weight may be employed to effect areverse throwonthe releaseof the duid-pressure; and if the apparatus be thus constructed ororganized,a single electro-magnet will suffice for giving thelvalve e astroke or motion in one direction, and a spring or weight maybe addedfor giving it a reverse motion; and while such an apparatus, in itsgeneral features of construction and combination, is hereby included aswithin the scope of the present invention, separate claimswill be madein another application for. its elements ofspecial novelty, and theapparatus in either style ot' construction may be applied generally tothe moving or shifting ot'railway-switches, draw-bridges, andattachments, movable signals, gates, or other movable parts of a railwaysuperstructure, and other desired duid-pressure may be employed IOOinstead of compressed air; or, still further, an

@the armature of an electro-magnet, so as to receive therefrom itsmotion in at least one direction5 and if the locking device be used,

(which may be omitted in any case, it' so preferred,) the ports andvalvemotions should be 4so arranged that the unlocking action shallprecede the switch, signal, 0r othermain shifting action; andealso thevforms of the engaging or interlocking partsof the stems R2 and l?2 mayhe varied at pleasure, provided .their conjoint operation remainssubstantially as set forth.

The make-and-break mechanism for operatin g the signal, instead of beingcombined with the locking and unlockiu g stem R2, may be arranged inconnection with the stem P2, if so preferred, or with any moving part ofthe switch-moving apparatus, whereby the shifting of the movable railsshall make and break a signal-operating circuit. y The return-wire w isnot absolutely essential, .and may be omitted, provided battery and IOSIIO

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ground connections are provided for the other wiresin accordance withprinciples well known in the art. But as I propose to use wires made upinto cables, it will cost butlittlc more for the lengths required to geta three-wire cable than a two-wire cable, and all trouble fromgroundconnections will 'then be avoided.

I am aware that it is not new to combine a weight and an armature by asomewhat complicated arrangement ot' catches, stops, and connectionswith the rotating cock ot' a compressed-air reservoir, a cylinder,piston, and winding-gear in such manner that the stops or catchesactuated by armature motion shall permit the weigbtto shift therotarycock oneway and the Huid-pressure to shiftittbc other way; but I am notaware of any prior system of apparatus ot' this class in which the valvewhich opens and closes the Iluid-pressare-snpply port was actuated ineither direction by orfrom the armature, so that the motion of thearmature was transmitted at once or directly to the valve by a positivemotion or stroke; and for this purpose it is immaterial what theinterposed connections are through which such motion is transmitted,provided the motions of both be positive and simultaneous.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. In a mechanism for operating amovable part or appliance of a railway superstructure, the combinationofaiinid-pressure-supply port, a valve to open and close such port, andan electro-magnetic armature arranged to open and close such valve by adirect positivel motion simultaneous with its own, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of a tiuid-pressure-supply port, a valve to open andclose such port, an electro-magnetic armature arranged to open and closesuch valve by a direct positive motion simultaneous with its own, and apiston device for transmitting the effective force of such duid-pressureto the part or appliance to be moved, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for operating a movable part or appliance of arailway superstructure, the combination of a shifting piston and stemfor effecting the movement desired, a locking piston and stem arrangedat right angles thereto, and interlocking` devices on the two stems,wherebythe latter stem, at the en d ofits stroke in either direction,shall lock the former in place, substantially as set forth.

4. In a mechanism for operating a movable part or appliance of a railwaysuperstructure, the combination of a valve, a motor under control of theoperator for moving the valve, an independent or second motor broughtinto ef fective operation by such valve motion, a piston device fortransmitting the effective force of such second motor to the part orappliance to be moved, and an auxiliary-piston device, also operated bysuch second motor for locking or unlockingthemainpiston,substantially asset forth.

5. 1n combination with the stem of thelocking and unlocking piston andan electric-circuit wire leading thence to a signal, a makeand-breakmechanism arranged in such circuit and operated by the locking andunlocking piston, substantially as set forth.

6. A differential piston, I" I, subject to a continuously-actingfluid-pressure in one direction andan intermittently-actingduid-pressure in the other direction, in combination by suitable portsWith a valve for regulating the intermittent pressure and one or moreelectromagnets for giving motion to the valve, substantially as setforth.

7. An apparatus having in combination the dili'erential-piston chambersB2 B3, a differential piston in each of suoli chambers, suitable portsforsupplyingacontinuously-actingpressure to said pistons in onedirectiomand ports` c2 c3, of different areas, for supplying andexhausting an intermittently-acting pressure in the other direction,whereby the piston of the larger port shall be caused to move in advanceofthe other, substantially as set forth.

S. An apparatus having in combination a duid-pressure chamber, B',-diiercntial-piston chambers B2 B3, a dilereutial piston in each, acontinuous Huid-pressure supply to the [luidpressurc chamber and to eachof the pistonchambers to actuate the pistons one way, and avalve-governed port for alternately admitting fluid-pressure fromchamber B to the piston-chambers for actuating the pistons the other wayand exhausting such fluid-pressure, substantially as set forth.

t). In combination with a switch-signal or gate-moving piston andcylinder, a Huid-pressure chamber, B', a valve for governing the supplyand exhaust, and apair of electro-magnets the armatures of which areconnected with the valve, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

GEORGE WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

Witnesses:

It. H. WHr'r'rLEsEY, GEORGE H. CHRISTY.

IOC

